This is the official blog of ex-Sgt Ellie Bloggs. I was a real live police constable then sergeant for twelve years, on the real live front line of England. I'm now a real live non-police person. All the facts I recount are true, and are not secrets. If they don't want me blogging about it, they shouldn't do it. PS If you don't pay tax, you don't (or didn't) pay my salary.

Friday, January 26, 2007

It's John Reid Week.

Charia Groves is a persistent shoplifter. She has 18 previous convictions which, if you look into them, cover another 48 offences "taken into consideration" and the same number again left "on file".Last month she was detained at a superstore in Blandmore for stowing a joint of lamb in her baby's pushchair (next to the baby), and I was dispatched to deal with her. Ordinarily the horror of having to call out Social Services is enough to deter any police officer from arresting a woman with a baby, but I have this old-fashioned notion that you shouldn't be able to use a child as a shield against the law. She was arrested and we waited an hour as she pretended to phone a number of relatives to come and collect little Charlye (the letters 'i' and 'y' are interchangeable in criminal circles). Finally I summoned a social worker and Charia was whisked off to the slammer. The custody sergeant had no doubt that the moment she was released, Charia would be back down at the Virgin Megastore or another of her favourite shops, tucking away her spoils under Charlye's feet. The custody sergeant also had no doubt that Charia would never show up for court. Hence, she was kept in overnight and sent to court in the morning.This is where John Reid stepped in. Charia was bailed from court in the hopeless expectation that she will not reappear until arrested on a warrant. But anyway it hardly matters, as she will never be sent to prison for her prolific shoplifting. It wouldn't do for Charlye to lose this important role model in his life.

15 Comments:

Chin up, its just the game we nick them and its up to CPS to try and armtwist the judge to bang'em up.

OR why not write a letter from the Home Office to the Judge and request every criminal that has committed more than three crimes in six months has to have at least 6months in jail or live with Mr REID or the Judge if there is no room in the prison!!

I don't know how the law works in your part of the world but where I was a cop a person who was had a conviction for shoplifting (petty theft) and subsequently was arrested again for shoplifting would be charged with a felony. The presumption being that they entered the business with the intent to commit a crime. Three felony convictions invoked the automatic "three strikes your out" law and the person was considered a career criminal and would have an additional 25 years to life added to their sentence.

Many people learned, the hard way, that being a career criminal had its consequences. Unfortunately, as the population grew, more career criminals moved up to fill the vacuum.

Wil, We do have a version of your 'three strikes' law, It's known as 'as many strikes as you like. It's not your fault you poor wee thing it's your background.'It seems to be especially effective in keeping Home Office removals staff employed but that's about all.Bloggs, have you tried my old trick of getting them served with a banning notice then locking them up for Burglary next time? Just a bit of fun when you see the look on their faces!

What would happen in the UK if the police all went out and arrested people, and the judges applied the law as it was actually written, and the CPS actually prosecuted people, and the Home Secretary was left to jump up and down and squeak and turn red and nobody paid the least attention to him?

Tee hee - we try the old Burglary line as well. (ie, You are now banned from this shop. Now if you enter the shop and steal you are entering as a trespasser and stealing, which counts as burglary, etc, etc)

Pity the CPS don't have the balls / ovaries / spines to run with it and have a punt. Pussies! (meaning no offence to any cats who might be reading the blogs).